On Apr 12, 9:40 pm, fishfry <BLOCKSPAMfish...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> In article
> <8acccf72-4cb4-45f8-8a8d-3b1aff8df...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>,
>
> JSH <jst...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
> > If you ask people how we know that mathematicians do not lie about
> > mathematics, usually you get the answer that other mathematicians
> > would tell you if they did!!! But what if MOST mathematicians lie
> > about research?
>
> Then wouldn't there still be SOME mathematicians complaining that most
> mathematicians lie? Where are the complainers?
They're ignored, belittled, or silenced.
I've read plenty on this subject not from me where people have talked
about the problem, but with what I call critical mass, mathematicians
can continue regardless.
Even fairly remarkably famous situations like some rich guy helped
Granville and some other math due, in some area, but got shocked when
he was ripped on when he tried to do some kind of extension of the FLT
problem. They just blew him out, and he ran away.
So you can point out an error, even an obvious one in a "pure math"
area and just get denial.
Denial. It's as basic as humanity which is why people learn to not
just trust group opinion--except in mathematics.
Mathematics is the ONLY major field left in our modern world that gets
away with just going on group opinion, which is so ironic since our
modern technological world could not exist without correct
mathematics.
But that is in applied areas. In "pure math" areas, it's a field of
opinion only.
Computerized checking is the only way to remove this horror which
leaves open room for error, and exploitation, as yes, your math
professors know you need their approval to succeed.
You MUST kiss butt in the math field in one way or another or you will
be out.
But with computerized checking, an angry, nasty very annoying person
that everyone hated could still be one of the greatest mathematicians
around--based on what he or she found.
Today that's impossible. If you're not liked by enough people you
don't exist in the modern math field.
James Harris
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